Kyle wrote:I'd like to see it be a candidate now for a first start for the metro. Do the VoG line first and build a station right at the airport.

This should be the absolute No.1 priority for the metro. It'll make a big statement for the ambitions of both Cardiff Airport and the metro itself. They should also be looking at the possibilities of a direct dual carriageway link from the M4 or A4232 to the airport. Does anybody know if this has ever been proposed?

They could even look at building a large park and ride tram service just off the M4 if building an actual road connection isn't feasible.

I remember looking at some environmental impact assessments about a decade ago relating to improved links from the M4 or A4232. Having done a search online there some more details in this Welsh Assembly Government report http://www.cynulliad.cymru/FOI%20Docume ... df,%2070KB)-09042009-124857/nevar-mrs-report-e-Cymraeg.pdf

daearegwr wrote:I remember looking at some environmental impact assessments about a decade ago relating to improved links from the M4 or A4232. Having done a search online there some more details in this Welsh Assembly Government report http://www.cynulliad.cymru/FOI%20Docume ... df,%2070KB)-09042009-124857/nevar-mrs-report-e-Cymraeg.pdf

Interesting. It looks like they've investigated all of the ideas I mentioned and more. It seems the main issue with the M4 link at the time was a "negative net present value" for the VoG Council. Surely if the airport continues to attract routes like Doha (direct routes to North America are a real possibility now) then that net value would get "less negative". The need for hotels, eateries, etc. would provide jobs and traffic congestion through the various towns would significantly decrease with a direct link from the M4.

The report shows its age though... They predicted 4.8 million passengers by 2015!

What will help Cardiff's passenger numbers is a good road to get there. We should be looking at a high quality dual carriageway link to the airport via a redesigned Leckwith Junction. This should also have a few junctions at Barry.

At the moment you have to go on a single carriageway road on a 30mph speed limit through suburbs with roundabouts every bloody 30 seconds. (I counted 10 roundabouts after Culverhouse Cross last time)

The beauty of a carriageway like this is that it wouldnt be absolutely empty like other airport spurs, because commuter traffic from Barry/Rhoose/Dinas Powys could use it, and fans travelling to CCS could make use of it too.

moyceyyy wrote:What will help Cardiff's passenger numbers is a good road to get there. We should be looking at a high quality dual carriageway link to the airport via a redesigned Leckwith Junction. This should also have a few junctions at Barry.

At the moment you have to go on a single carriageway road on a 30mph speed limit through suburbs with roundabouts every bloody 30 seconds. (I counted 10 roundabouts after Culverhouse Cross last time)

The beauty of a carriageway like this is that it wouldnt be absolutely empty like other airport spurs, because commuter traffic from Barry/Rhoose/Dinas Powys could use it, and fans travelling to CCS could make use of it too.

With the Swansea London train line passing close to Junction 34, constructing a new station here with a large park and ride facility could be an option. This is only (as the crow flies) around 5 miles from the airport, and connecting this to the terminal with a direct tram (as Cen mentioned) or a non-stop Bus Rapid Transport System would allow people to get to the terminal within 10 of leaving this new facility, whilst not significantly increasing traffic through the vale.

Travel time would not be that different to those from parking facilities to the terminals at other large airports, and with electrification of the mainline and proposals to improve the M4, suddenly easy access to the airport is opened up to far more people. Cardiff has the longest runway of any major airport in the SW (excluding Newquay) so is able to offer something different to Bristol....but they have to find a way of getting people there quickly!

And while it would be good to have the link road going straight from the M4 Kyle, it would defeat the object of having the road serve Cardiff. The city would still be without a good road to its airport. People on the M4 could just use the A4232 to get to the link road, not too much of a compromise.

Jantra wrote:where is the money coming from for all of these proposals? we can't even afford to have a proper PDR

You'd hope that the Metro budget would have accounted for a park and ride transit system to the airport. Perhaps not a road link, but there is potential for private investment if the business opportunities for airlines are good enough. It's a long shot, but this could well be a case of "build it and they will come". A shiny new terminal, road link and transit system will surely give a big boost to both passenger numbers and airline attraction.